Saturday, May 26, 2012

Monty Python circa 1975

I watch a lot of old news clips and read through tons of archived newspapers (I love the ads!) and found this gem from 1975. First of all, the intro with its syrupy sweet music is like some stoned composer's idea of what America should be singing in their shower every morning after five cups of Folgers. Then you have the perky little redhead who is a perfect foil for the Monty Python Troupe (sans master Cleese). They all but take over the ABC studios, and by the ending credits--with that same syrupy music, although slowed down to a hypnotic drugged pace--are tearing apart the set with occasional assaults to that perky redhead. One last shot focuses in on a maniacal Terry Jones, mustache askew. I'd love to see the show in its entirerty, commercial breaks and all.

My favorite part though, is Peter Jennings. He looks none too happy to be part of the fun with his serious reports on all that war-stuff business going on in Saigon. Wawawa. Oh, and I love the little time breaks. Why can't morning television be like this again?


14 comments:

  1. A gentler time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. My sister loved Monty Python. I never got it. Thanks for the clip.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hasn't time moved on. My Julie was four then.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Naughty boys. I met Michael Palin out here in France many years ago.... he was behaving very sensibly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you watch his travel shows? I thought they were all really interesting.

      Delete
  5. This was around the time Jennings was doing those Saturday morning "news for kids" segments, I think. Remember those? I think they were called "In The News".

    Didn't go over as well as School House Rock.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't, but I do remember School House Rock very well. Nothing better than a Saturday morning with Looney Toons, all those great commercials, and School House Rock. Also, "After these messages, we'll be riiiight back!"

      Delete
    2. Turns out I was wrong, it was on CBS, and narrated by Christopher Glenn and Gary Shepard. And it did better than I thought (1971 to 1986).

      Ha! I looked it up and found out it was a spinoff of Josey and the Pussycats, of all things. The news stories were originally told by them.

      Delete
    3. Huh, I do remember little news things like that, but not that one specifically.

      Do you remember that show, "Kids are People Too?" I think it was on Sunday mornings. I used to watch that religiously.

      Delete
    4. I remember the title, but nothing about it. It might have been a syndicated show up against Big Blue Marble and Animals, Animals, Animals. Or maybe those were later.

      Delete
  6. Monty Python's Flying Circus on PBS ... those were the days!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Monty Python were magnificently crazy, perfect for our young married days. Thanks for showing a tidbit of their mania.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gotta love the Monty! :) They always make me laugh.

    ReplyDelete

A Millennial romp through Jane Austen

  A few years back I wrote this story about a fifteen-year-old girl named Frankie drudging through a very complicated life in a fictional sm...